Buzz
This warm New York weather is playing tricks on me, but I'm holding on to the last days of soup season. Just when I start filling my fridge with fresh fruit, spring will throw a curveball with 50-degree rain. So, I’m keeping my soup pots close for a bit longer, and I recommend you do the same. If you're tired of the usual, try adding a handful of nuts for an interesting twist.
Nuts in soups, curries, and stews are a common element in many Asian, African, and Eastern European cuisines. They're not just there for a crunchy topping—they’re stewed to perfection, softening within the dish. My mom swears by peanuts in massaman curry, but any nut you have will do; take malai kofta, for example, a creamy Indian dish that uses cashews to create multiple textures and layers of flavor.
When nuts are added to a simmering dish, like a soup, stew, curry, or chili, they soak up some of the liquid and soften, much like beans or root vegetables do. But they don't just soften—they become luxuriously tender, holding a bit of their original texture. The result? A delightful chew that surprises the palate. Nuts don’t dissolve into the dish unless blended, so a simmered cashew retains its shape, but when you bite into it, you'll taste its tender, velvety texture and the warm burst of fats that flavor the entire bite.
Incorporating nuts into your dishes is a breeze. It's almost as if you're cleaning out your cupboard without much thought. Just prepare your soup, curry, chili, or stew as usual, and once the liquid is added, simply throw in a handful of nuts. No need for precise measurements—just enough to find a nut every couple of bites. Most nuts don’t require chopping, as they’re usually small, and you can’t really over-simmer them. The time it takes to cook the other ingredients is plenty for the nuts too. Even a short simmering time will soften the nuts, making them tender yet still substantial. Generally, peanuts and cashews soften within 20 minutes, while 30-40 minutes will render them quite soft. Using a slow cooker or Instant Pot will get them even softer.
I tend to use peanuts, cashews, and almonds in my stews and chilis because they go with almost anything, though pistachios, pine nuts, and hazelnuts work just as well. While I don't often use larger nuts like walnuts and pecans in my soups, they can absolutely be used in the same way. For instance, Lobio, a Georgian bean stew, uses chopped walnuts to enhance both texture and flavor. If you're working with larger nuts, breaking them in half or chopping them ensures they cook evenly and keep their cooking time short.
Nuts add a lovely accent to your dishes, but they aren’t the star of the show. If you're unsure, start with a small handful. Unless you blend them, they won’t dominate the flavor of the dish. Nut-lovers will enjoy this, but for those still on the fence, this is one of those moments where you can take a chance. If it's not your thing, just push them aside and pretend they were never there. But at least give it a shot—you can’t say you don’t like something if you haven’t tried it.
